Slipshod
by sharingank
Summary: Life...death...two sides of the same coin. Every living being cannot escape the inevitable...but that does not mean one cannot change one's destiny before the end...NaruSaku centric...MANGA SPOILERS [Ch. 261 and up]
1. Fear

Well, after the newest manga chapter, I have been struck by inspiration, and I had to write this. (Plus…well…I can't cry anymore…I NEED something to make me happy, after…:sobs: Yeah.)

**DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE NOT CURRENT (at least to chapter 261) WITH THE MANGA.**

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**One: Fear**_

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"If a Bijuu is removed…the Jinchuuriki will die…" _

No matter how long she lay with her eyes closed, trying desperately to summon sleep to a mind overworked with disjointed, frantic thought, Sakura finally admitted defeat and sat up, cradling her face in her hands. Fear-sweat made her skin clammy and cold to the touch. Her fingers trembled. Unshed tears seared her eyes, a combination of salt and water yearning to be released. She blinked a few times by way of resistance, however her diminished strength soon yielded.

"_You're still as quick to cry as ever, Sakura-chan. Don't worry about me!"_

The tears dripped through the openings between her fingers to run down her arms and plummet to the ground from her elbows. Crickets hummed to each other in their own special language of chirps as they traveled through the grassy meadow; nearby, an owl hooted, yellow eyes gleaming in the moonlight as it searched for food. Leaves rustled and swayed in the light breeze, stars twinkled in the perfect, unobstructed ebony sky.

A beautiful night.

"…_the Jinchuuriki will die…"_

Old Chiyo's voice would not leave her be, a constant echo that reverberated off the walls of her mind. Would it ever go away? No. Not until Akatsuki was taken care of, not until the curtains of this ruthless play closed over the stage after the final act.

As a girl, she never expected her career as a ninja would lead her here, every solid foundation she'd labored so hard to build crumbled to pieces beneath her. Oh, she still maintained a firm hold on some of her identity, enough at least to mould into the person she had become under Tsunade's strict guidance. No one would have to fight on her behalf again; she would never have to watch her friends be hurt to protect her. Instead of remaining the weakest link, she redefined herself as she stepped up to the level of her teammates, and added a few new tricks as well. Not only had her inhuman strength been honed, but her natural, untapped skill as a medic blossomed as well.

_"Don't worry about me!" _

Her fingers curled inward, nails biting into skin. She did worry. More than she ever would have imagined.

It was the intensity of her concern that frightened her.

Sakura's early childhood did not leave many happy memories behind. She had been a shy, awkward girl teased for the size of her forehead, and had few friends. The pink hair she now wore short and choppy, held away from her face by her forehead protector, she used as a shield to hide behind, a small sense of security. Content to remain in the background, she endured the teasing in silence.

Ino changed all that.

The blonde girl was everything that Sakura wanted to be, and when she approached her one day while their class picked flowers, Sakura thought she would burst. Ino showed her how to break free of her shell, showed her that she shouldn't be afraid to expose her face. She showed her what it was like to have a friend.

Once they reach a certain age, it is in the nature of little girls to develop crushes on little boys. Uchiha Sasuke, the last of his clan, caused quite a stir among Sakura's peers, capturing hearts right and left with his cold, aloof behavior and dark good looks. Sakura herself became enamored of him, and made it her mission to win his affections. The desire for him to single her out dictated her every move. She studied hard to impress him with her intelligence, committing the code of a shinobi to memory. Her reality check would come later, once she discovered first-hand how different real battle compared to book-learned strategy really was, however until then, she continued to live in ignorance, her goal all-consuming.

Looking back, Sakura realized with shame how selfish she was. Nothing else mattered except her conquest of Sasuke, and her friends were expendable if they threatened to interfere. Her world narrowed to him and her; all others were outsiders, unwelcome, unwanted. And Ino, her truest friend, morphed into an enemy. She liked Sasuke, too. She was an obstacle to be cleared.

How many years of friendship had they lost because of one boy? Perhaps their destroyed relationship was slowly on the mend, but that did not excuse her of her behavior. Especially now, after the person she poured so much of herself into betrayed them…

Sakura had had enough. She needed to be moving. Getting slowly to her feet, she slipped away from their makeshift camp and walked aimlessly, no set destination guiding her footsteps. The breeze kissed her tearstained cheeks, and she lifted her face to it, welcoming the coolness.

"…_the Jinchuuriki will die…"_

"I know!" she hissed to the wind. "Do you think I don't understand? Do you think I don't realize what Akatsuki plans to do to him?" _What they're doing to Gaara now…ripping Shukaku out of him, the other half of his existence…his Bijuu…_

She thought she had no more tears left to shed.

She was wrong.

Knees no longer able to bear her weight, she sank down into the grass and wept, a helpless child lost in a vast wilderness, no end in sight. Her breath came in choking gasps, sobs wracking her frame. A few minutes later the weeping subsided, and she felt as though phantom hands had wrung her out like a towel saturated with moisture.

"Neither of them asked for this." Her voice was a raw whisper. "They've been condemned to death since they were born. It's not fair!" A foolish statement, she knew, but she could not seem to stop the words as they poured from her mouth. "It's not fair at all! Why do they have to suffer? Tell me why!"

She received no answer, though she had not expected one.

"_Don't worry about me!"_

Sakura almost laughed. "Oh Naruto, can't you see it's too late?"

For nearly three years, they had been apart, he to train with Jiraiya, she to serve as Tsunade's apprentice, sharing the intention to bring Sasuke back no matter what the cost.

She grew up quite a bit since then.

What she believed to be a mistake in judgment she discovered was a deliberate choice. Sasuke chose to attack Naruto, his teammate, his comrade…his best friend. Sasuke chose to leave the village in search of a quick source of power, accepting fruit from the hand of the enemy. Sasuke chose to sever his ties, cut himself off from the people who cared about him. He was far beyond their reach, and no arm was long enough to touch him.

Deep in her gut, she knew he planned to keep it that way, and she despised him for it.

She didn't grasp the emotion then, however, and if she did, she tried her hardest to deny its existence. Loving Sasuke was what she did. She'd done it since she was small. Hating him, on the other hand, was something completely alien. Whenever her thoughts strayed to him, she found herself pulled in hundreds of directions at once. _He tried to kill Naruto. Chouji, Neji, Kiba…all injured trying to save him from himself. He left me here without so much as a goodbye when he knew my feelings. _

_He tried to kill Naruto. Not defeat, not subjugate, kill. He tried to kill Naruto…_

Already distressed, Tsunade's apathy did nothing to aid her plight.

"You're in the big league now, Sakura," Godaime rested her chin atop her folded hands, looking directly at her pupil. "These are the types of things you have to deal with. Sasuke is a criminal of his own accord, and he's also someone special to you. Problem is, you harbor a lot of false hope that everything will return to normal once you come face to face with him again. Ah—" she held up a hand as Sakura began to protest. "Don't be defensive when you know as well as I do that I'm right." Her student closed her mouth. "Jiraiya was the same. He thought Orochimaru would come back to our side once confronted by his old teammate, but obviously that plan failed."

The woman stretched her arms above her head and went to stand by the window. "Since it would be a waste of effort to try and discourage you, I won't bother. However," brown eyes met with emerald. "Continue on this path, and someday you might be forced to make a choice that will tear you apart."

Sakura took her words at face value, believing that her sensei was trying to tell her to abandon Sasuke completely because her efforts would lead to inevitable failure, and she stormed out of Godaime's office in a rage. The conversation took on a different meaning a year or so later, after Sakura had sufficient time to question her own motives.

Tsunade did not say 'give up.' She said to be prepared. The longer Sakura clung to the notion of Sasuke reverting back to the boy she fell in love with as soon as she snapped her fingers, the harder it would be to save him in the end. To do so she would have to let go of her predispositions and see the situation through clear eyes.

Sasuke was a traitor who would sacrifice the life of his best friend in exchange for power.

Knowing this, did she still want to risk everything to drag him home?

This was what Tsunade meant. This was what she was up against. This was what would culminate the beginning of a war centered on revenge, to what end no one could be certain.

Did Sakura have the strength to hold out her hand to the person who had spilled Naruto's blood, who had broken her heart, who would attack his own on the battlefield just to kill his brother?

She wanted to say yes without hesitation. After all, Sasuke did have a part to play in her desire for transformation. It was the will to save him that drove her to seek Tsunade. She owed him something, didn't she?

_And what about Naruto?_ A tiny voice in the back of her mind always reminded. _You cannot disregard the effect he has had on your life._

Uzumaki Naruto. One of the three members of Team Seven, and her temporary annoyance. In Academy, everyone referred to the short, blonde troublemaker as Dead Last, and laughed while he fumbled his jutsus and failed his tests. Naruto took it all in stride—or so she believed. He never showed his weak side to anyone, never revealed the pain he experienced by being ostracized for a reason unknown to him, never backed down from a fight, even if his enemy was bigger or stronger, and he did it all with a smile.

"I'll be Hokage, you'll see!" He would say, arms crossed stubbornly over his chest.

At first, Sakura thought like everyone else that he was a nuisance, and would amount to nothing, yet her opinion began to change the more time she spent around him. She glimpsed facets of his personality she never knew he possessed, and discovered that, ever so slowly, she had come to respect him.

Over the course of a few years, Naruto went from idiot to comrade to friend, and a good friend at that. She did not think she would miss him as much as she did when he went away, his jokes and his laughter and his spirit. Tsunade worked her to the bone, and oftentimes she was too exhausted at the end of the day to do anything but fall into bed and sleep, yet she always saved a moment before she drifted off to pray for his safety and wonder how different he'd be when she saw him again.

Would he finally be taller than her? Would his unruly hair get even wilder? Would he surpass the Rasengan with a new technique? And what about the mysterious red chakra? Perhaps he could learn to use it…

She'd been curious about Naruto's second chakra since she faintly sensed it during the fight with Zabuza and Haku. Once or twice she overheard Kakashi talking about it, though the subject usually changed when he detected her presence. She had come close to asking Naruto directly, but she lost her nerve at the last second. Obviously, he was keeping a secret, and whatever it was had to do with that chakra. If she wanted information, she'd have to dig it up herself.

As luck would have it, her new sensei's study contained an impressive library full of documents: journals, charts, case studies, reports, and other reference materials. Tsunade turned a blind eye to her apprentice's newfound interest in sifting through her shelves and allowed her to carry on as she wished. It was always better for pups to discover things on their own, after all. May as well pretend to be oblivious than let her know that she checked each of the documents Sakura looked through, and already knew what her errant student sought.

After a month of playing this game, Tsunade grew impatient, and decided to give Sakura a hand. Around the time the pink-haired girl was due for another day of training, Godaime removed a sheaf of papers bound in black leather from her desk drawer and dropped it on top of the desk so it would appear as if she had been studying it, then scattered a few other papers around to complete the illusion of leaving in a hurry. When the knock sounded on her study door, she was already gone.

"_Sensei?" Sakura called, and opened the door a crack. "Sensei, are you there?" She pushed the door open the rest of the way. Tsunade's chair was empty, no trace of the older woman other than some books and papers littering her desk. The window behind the desk was open, emitting a soft breeze that stirred the curtains. She raised an eyebrow. Her sensei was never late. "Weird." Stepping into the study, she closed the door and took a seat to the left of the desk, eyes scanning quickly over the clutter. A black leather-bound book caught her attention, and her fingers itched to pick it up, though she hesitated, feeling somewhat like a thief. _

"_She did say that I have free reign over the stuff in here," Sakura told herself as her hands closed over the book. "So I'm really not overstepping my bounds…"_

_Good enough. _

_The book was open in an instant, fingers flying through the pages. One word stopped her, and she leaned down to read. _

"_Kyuubi…something…I can't make out the writing! Red chakra…another blot…" she looked a bit further down, "…Uzumaki Naruto…" Her eyes went wide. "Naruto?" Backtracking, she held the book up and squinted, determined to decipher the scribbles. _

_A moment later, the book tumbled from her trembling hands, and her heart beat a tattoo against her ribcage. _

_"Are you satisfied?"_

_Sakura looked up sharply. Godaime stood in the doorway, face unreadable. _

She knew. She knew about what I was doing the whole time.

_"I…" her throat constricted, and she had to bite her lip to keep tears at bay. The last thing she wanted was to cry in front of this woman, even if her tears were for her friend. _

_Tsunade examined her for a moment before she shook her head and sat behind her desk, expression soft. "I would've told you eventually, but I figured you wanted to do this alone." She reached out and rested a hand on Sakura's shoulder. _

_"I never knew," the pink-haired girl whispered, voice cracking. "I never even guessed. That's why all the adults were so cruel to him…all the children…" Head bowed so Tsunade could not see the traitorous tears, she squeezed her eyes shut. His whole life he'd been living with a demon sealed inside of him, the same demon responsible for the massacre of the village so many years ago…she could not begin to imagine how that must feel, how much pain and doubt and grief he suffered… "I did it, too!" She cried, and flung herself into Tsunade's arms, the battle against her tears lost. "I'm just as bad as the others!" _

_"Shh," the blonde woman held her close, stroked her hair. "Hush, now. It's all right." _

_"He's always been there for me," Sakura sobbed, her chest tight, "And I was horrible to him! He cares about me, and I walked all over him!" _

_"He forgave you of that though, Sakura." _

_Tsunade's was a voice of reason among chaos, a soothing wave of comfort that settled over her like a blanket. She lifted her face to see her sensei's smiling one. _

_"He's amazing, isn't he? The entire world could be against him, and he'd still find a way to succeed. You've seen who he is, Haruno Sakura. He's allowed you to be a part of his life, just like he took me in when he didn't have to. Embrace that, and move forward. The past is the past. Don't dwell on the 'would haves' or the 'should haves' or the 'could haves', or you'll go mad. Naruto believes in you. Believe in him. Support him when he needs a friend. Laugh with him. Cry with him. Most of all, forgive yourself. He wouldn't want you to feel pain on his behalf." _

_Sakura smiled back shakily, and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "You're right. I won't show a sad face to him when he comes home." _

From that point on, she vowed to become stronger for him, so that she would be worthy of his friendship, of his forgiveness that she did not deserve, but he gave her freely, willingly.

And when she did see him again, one bright, sunny day, his excited laugh, exactly the same, one she'd recognize from miles away, she felt happiness that she hadn't felt in the three years since he left.

The first thing she noticed was his outfit. While still orange, his new jacket was more form fitting, with a black collar zipped to the chin, and black sleeves worn long. His orange pants cut off just above the ankle, and his sandals and forehead protector were also black. His hair was still shockingly blonde, and a bit longer on the sides. When he called out to her and made his way through the crowds, she compared her height with his: the top of her head came up to his shoulders.

Her heart gave a little thrill as his beautiful blue eyes sized her up, and then realized she was nervous all of a sudden. How did she look to him? There was not much she could do about the size of her chest. It had grown a bit, she supposed, though she was no Tsunade by any means. Her new pair of toeless boots accentuated her long legs; they were actually her mother's idea and the envy of Sakura's female counterparts.

As soon as she thought all this, she wondered why she cared so much about her appearance to begin with. Yes, Naruto had become quite attractive, she could not deny that, but he was still distinctly…_Naruto._ She never worried about her image in his eyes before, so why now?

"You haven't changed at all, Sakura-chan," he told her with a grin, oblivious of the slightly crestfallen look she gave him in return.

Well, that answered that. No point in fretting anymore, clearly.

They had little time to talk before the two squared off against their former sensei Kakashi, giving Sakura the opportunity to show Naruto what she'd accomplished. The awestruck expression on his face when she smashed through soil and rock with her bare fist had been enough to raise her spirits tenfold, and she glowed with pride.

And once again, she wondered why.

_I haven't seen him in ages. I'm just excited, that's all. _And relieved that he returned to them in one piece. But she could not spare any more time dwelling on these emotions, because when she did, her knees went all wobbly and her hands shook, and she could not afford to lose her composure so soon after being reunited. Such conduct was hardly worthy of a Chuunin-level medic. So they talked of other things, about their year mates and friends, who had been promoted, and the goings-on in the village. Naruto even took her out on a 'date' consisting of ramen at the Ichiraku while they enjoyed each other's company—with Kakashi present, of course.

Their happy reunion did not last for long. Soon, news reached Konoha that Akatsuki was on the move, and their efforts centered on Suna, the Village of the Sand. Their Kazekage, in an attempt to avert the danger from his village, offered himself in place of his people, and was being held at a location populated by Akatsuki members, whose intentions were to extract Shukaku, a tanuki demon, from his vessel in order to utilize his power for their own means.

Kakashi, Naruto, and Sakura were ordered to infiltrate the Akatsuki base and rescue Sabaku no Gaara, Kazekage of the Sand, as quickly as possible. Along the way, they stopped at Suna to gather information and for Sakura to heal Kankuro, Gaara's elder brother, who had been poisoned by a fellow puppeteer, the maker of his Karasu. Prior to their departure, the team acquired another member, old Chiyo, one of the Elders of the Sand.

Not long after they set off for their destination, Uchiha Itachi accosted them while his partner Kisame was dispatched to handle Gai's team, who followed not far behind. Sakura was not given much of a chance to fight, Kakashi and Naruto doing most of the work. She did prove herself useful when Naruto became ensnared in a powerful illusion spell, one that left him visibly shaken. Whatever he'd seen, it had been enough to sober him into silence after the battle concluded. Sakura ached to comfort him, but she did not for the life of her know how.

_"…the Jinchuuriki will die…"_

Chiyo's voice in her head brought her back to the present, grass brushing her exposed skin, eyes stinging and puffy from crying. Four hours ago, the Elder revealed how deeply twined the lives of the Bijuu, or demon elemental, and the Jinchuuriki, or carrier, were.

_"If a Bijuu is removed…the Jinchuuriki will die…"_

Naruto was a Jinchuuriki, Kyuubi a Bijuu.

Akatsuki made it clear that they would come after Naruto, and perform the same ritual on him that they now performed on Gaara.

Without Kyuubi, Naruto would die.

Sakura, unable to bear the thought of losing him like she lost Sasuke, allowed her tears to fall. Naruto took notice, breaking his silence to insist she not worry, that everything would be fine. And then he smiled the way he always did.

Eyes closed, Sakura pictured his smile. A world without that smile in it…could she imagine such a bleak place? Wherever Naruto went, he brought life and light and laughter. He was a candle in the dark, a bright beacon to guide the lost. The world needed a shepherd like Naruto. _She_ needed him.

There. No more skeletons lurking in her closet. She confessed.

The walk cleared her head, as she hoped it would. Standing, she made her way back to the camp. Kakashi and Chiyo talked softly by the fire, both too engrossed in their conversation to take notice of her. Just as well. She didn't feel like chatting.

Her bedroll lay where she left it, beckoning for her to come rest. Ignoring the invitation, she settled beside Naruto instead.

He slept fitfully, mouth a grimace, hair matted to his forehead. Gently, she ran her fingers through it, pushing it away from his face. The crease between his eyebrows smoothed as she continued to stroke his hair, and his breathing evened.

"As long as I have life in me, I won't let anyone take your smile away," she murmured near his ear.

A single tear fell from her eye and landed on his cheek.

The grimace faded.

"There's the smile I love," whispered Sakura. "There's my purpose."

* * *

Naruto heard her voice at the edge of his consciousness, a fading whisper so near, yet so far from his grasp. But that was okay. The knowledge of her being near was enough to satisfy him, and he continued to sleep. 

He was awake in his dreams, looking at himself.

_I'll save you Gaara,_ his dream self declared. _Those bastards are gonna pay dearly. Just hold on a little longer. Don't throw in the towel yet. _

How was this a dream? Those were the things he'd thought since the mission began…

The focus shifted.

_Sasuke, you little prick, I'll beat you into the ground this time and drag you back in pieces if that's what it takes. This ain't fun and games anymore. I made a promise to Sakura, and I'll be damned if I break it. _

A mist swirled before his dream-self, and Sakura emerged, a shimmering replica of the girl he loved with all his heart. She smiled at him the way she did in all his dreams, a smile that reached her eyes and lit her face. He reached for her, wanting something solid to hold.

Her smile became sad, and she shook her head.

_No, fox. Not yet. We have a lot to do before that. _

He lost track of where his real self began and his dream self ended.

I don't care. I want to hold you now…

_You will soon. I promise. _

Don't make promises you can't keep. You aren't the real Sakura, anyway. The real Sakura loves Sasuke, not me.

_She cried for you. _

No she didn't. She cried for Gaara…

_True, some of those tears were meant for him, but they were mostly for you. She knows your secret. She told you herself. She's worried about you. _

You're just trying to get my hopes up. She's already chosen Sasuke.

_Do you truly believe that?_

What else should I believe?

_Naruto, don't be an ass. She does care about what happens to you, and you are well aware of it. You just hate it when she cries. _

Was it possible to cry in dreams? Had to be. He _was_ crying. And he felt it. The dream tears were as wet against his skin as real tears.

I never wanted to be the one to make her cry, damn you! I never wanted to be like Sasuke!

_You are many things, Uzumaki Naruto, but I guarantee you that none of them is Uchiha Sasuke. Don't ever say something so juvenile again, please. Makes me want to commit homicide… _

Dream Sakura crossed her legs Indian-style, the mist gathering together and condensing until it formed a sort of cushion for her to sit on. She looked pointedly at him.

_Take a seat, partner. We've got business to discuss. _

A similar mist/cushion appeared before him, and, not knowing what else to do, he sat, knuckling tears from his eyes.

So, am I going crazy? I'm talking serious to a figment of my imagination.

_The whole damn world's crazy. You've managed to single out your craziness. Now you can be special like Sasuke, too. Isn't that great? _

Naruto snorted.

Oh yeah. Fabulous. And you're doing a shitty job as Sakura, by the way. She's not nearly as sarcastic as you.

_She ain't a flower, either, slick. Do you see these boots? _Dream Sakura lifted one tantalizing leg. _They can kick ass all the way to Rain Country. Your girl's got sass. _She paused. _I like that._

Not _my_ girl, Naruto pointed out, eyes still fixed on that leg.

_Bah, _Dream Sakura waved a hand in dismissal. _Minor technicality. You think of her as yours, and that's what matters here. _

She was right, of course. Even though he knew she'd never love him, he did allow himself to hope that she'd experience a miraculous change of heart.

All right, all right, he conceded. You win.

_Point for me. _Dream Sakura winked.

Naruto rolled his eyes, and then his expression became one of regret.

I should have told her she looked beautiful. You know, when she asked me. It's just…she's always been beautiful to me…But I should have said she looked _more _beautiful.

_You're not dead. You can still tell her. _

She doesn't want to hear that from me, though. I'd scare her away.

_So then don't tell her. Why are you bitching if you're not gonna do anything? _

You don't get it! Snapped Naruto, frustrated. Sakura wants Sasuke. She's wanted him forever. I'm not Sasuke. I don't measure up. Hearing it from me is as meaningless as hearing it from…Kiba.

Dream Sakura laughed out loud. _Oh, I see. You have a whole arsenal of ready-made excuses to draw from. Very convenient!_

It's not an excuse! I want—

_What? You want what?_

Her! I want to protect her, and I want her to rely on me to make things better, and I want to see her face when I wake up in the morning, and when I go to sleep at night, and I want her to love me the way she loves Sasuke! I know I'm clumsy sometimes, and I know I'm not perfect, but…I _want_ to be perfect for her…

_Don't you feel better now? _Dream Sakura smiled knowingly. _Emptying of the conscience is always so much fun. _

Come to mention it, he _did_ feel better.

But then reality intruded. He remembered what would happen when he returned to the waking world, and what was at stake.

I'm terrified for Gaara. Terrified. He's exactly like me…and he's in trouble. If I don't make it in time…

_Stop. Cease. Desist. No 'ifs.' It's either you do, or you don't. _

I will.

_What'll you do if you don't?_

You said no 'ifs.'

_Ha, ha! Very good. I'm proud of you. However, since I am your conscience, I'm obligated to say this. You might fail your mission, Naruto, and then Gaara will be dead. You'll have to make peace with that on the road. There won't be time to mourn, and there won't be time to beat yourself up about it, either. You must be able to function. Akatsuki doesn't give a rat's ass if your ability to defend yourself has flown out the window because of grief, and if they get _you_, it's all over. Do you understand? _

Naruto did not want to hear this, wanted to ignore it. He wouldn't fail. He wouldn't. And yet…

Yes. I…I understand.

_Thank God you've got Sakura watching your back, that's all I have to say. She'll take care of you. _

What do you mean?

_I've gotta go. There's my cue. Keep your chin up, kid. _

Wait! Sakura!

* * *

He woke up. Kakashi, Chiyo, and the real Sakura sat around him, packs loaded and strapped to their backs. 

"We have to move now," said Chiyo quietly. "Are you rested enough?"

Naruto groggily nodded his head 'yes,' then tried to maneuver into a sitting position. Sakura was there in an instant to help, lithe hands supporting him. He turned his head and looked into her eyes, and she did not look away. Even now, his heart still melted. "Thanks, Sakura-chan," he smiled.

She smiled back. "Come on. Let's go save our friend."

* * *

Yeah…random drabble. I hope I didn't confuse the crap out of too many of you. I wanted to examine Naruto and Sakura's thoughts during all of this, and that's what I came up with. :grins: My brain is so random, anyway… 

And if you happened to read this without being caught up, well…:raises hands: I did warn ya!


	2. Identity

Okay, I lied. This is not a one-shot, as I had intended. The more I thought about it, the more appealing the idea of additional chapters became, and…there you have it.

**

* * *

****Two: Identity**

* * *

Darkness. Everywhere he looked, he could not escape the oppressive, unyielding darkness. He remembered light, though just barely, a small fragment of recollection encapsulated beyond reach. He had stood in the light before, he knew, deep in the area where his heart should be. He felt the warmth of the sun on his skin, the brightness of rays so intense to be almost blinding. 

Where did that light go? Perhaps if he stretched out his hand, he would find it…

Hand. An extension of the creature that was himself. He had the power to make it move, to wiggle each of the long digits attached to the base—fingers, they were called. Bundles of nerve endings designed to feel things, and transmit sensation to the brain.

But here, in this place, wherever it was, his fingers did not encounter anything but empty air. Open space. An unending void that had claimed him as its own, and slowly absorbed all of his cells into itself, his identity…

And who was he? He had a name, a name once associated with fear, death, blood, now redefined as a name to be spoken with respect, trust.

Sabaku no Gaara, Kazekage of the Sand.

Yes, that was it.

"Gaara," he formed the name on his dry, cracked lips. "Me."

Memory flooded over the gates that had barred it, a violent monsoon crashing through his consciousness, bombarding him with images, sounds…

Feeling.

He was a little boy again, clinging tightly to a battered teddy bear, the only friend he had who did not look at him with fear reflected in its tiny, black button eyes. Even as a child so young, he understood that the bear only tolerated him because it wasn't alive; it couldn't be afraid of the way sand swirled around him like a cyclone when he was upset or angry, of the murderous, rage-filled voice in his head, telling him to do things, horrible things that a little boy should never think about, yet he did them because he could not stop himself until it was too late.

The village children whispered about him when they believed he could not hear, but he _did_ hear, every single word, each one a dagger through his chest. Father remained aloof, a cold, emotionless statue as he observed his youngest child's 'training,' his dark eyes two hard stones while his tool of destruction, his own flesh and blood, took shape. Temari and Kankurou, his brother and sister, spent much of their time with Father, and when they did spare a moment to speak with their brother, their words were meaningless, empty phrases blurted in a hurry to escape from him; even they feared what he was becoming.

Mother died after his birth, so Gaara never knew her, but he had seen her picture in a small, white frame on Uncle's desk. She had a warm, loving face, and she smiled, though her smile contained all the sadness of the world, and Gaara loved her. He even persuaded himself that she must have loved him, too. Uncle, Mother's brother, told him stories about her, and comforted him when he cried or when the voice in his head frightened him…

And then everything fell apart.

Uncle, caring, sympathetic Uncle, who showed nothing but kindness to him before, lashed out in hatred by making an attempt on his life, and Gaara would be forever reminded of the betrayal by the kanji burned in blood on his forehead.

_Love._

The last vestiges of his humanity were laid to rest that day. If this was what love was, to put so much faith in another person, to trust that person beyond any question of a doubt only to be stabbed in the back soon after, he wanted no part of it. He did not need to be human, not anymore. The world had rejected him; he would do the same.

Instead of continuing to fear that voice, he listened to it, allowed its lust for blood to become his own. He did nothing to dispel the illusion of control kept by the piece of meat that spawned him, but willingly unleashed the rage when ordered, and sometimes of his own accord. What did it matter, anyway, since _he_ knew that he was the author of his own destiny? Father fancied himself a master manipulator; arrogance blinded him to the fact that his weapon held the strings, could turn on him at any moment.

Once a fool, always a fool.

As the years passed and Gaara grew older, he discovered that he enjoyed a good kill. Seeing faces twisted in terror, hearing the pleas and screams of his victims before they died became his aphrodisiac. All aspects of the hunt excited him, gave him a reason for his existence. Mother took pleasure in his bloody exploits as well, it would seem; her hatred composed of the sand that traveled with him wherever he went in the gourd strapped to his back reacted quite strongly during a slaughter, pulsing with ravenous hunger for more and more and more…

Sabaku Kyuu was his favorite exclusive jutsu. Chakra-imbued sand trapped the prey—all but the face—in a coffin-like cocoon suspended a few feet in the air; when he closed his fist, the coffin burst apart like a popped balloon, and the sky rained gore. The victim perished instantly, of course—was he not merciful? Those who died by his hand only did so because they lacked the strength to defeat him, and therefore must be put out of their misery. In this world, the fittest survived, and the weak became extinct. Gaara could have tortured them, drawn out the suffering until he tired of it, however he chose not to. The game of cat and mouse he saved for the select few who pushed his limits, managed to crack the natural barrier of sand that shielded him. The others were disposed of quickly, painlessly.

How ironic that he showed more mercy than Father, the Kazekage, who spared no hesitation to give an order for a massacre, employing his beloved tool to rend and tear his way through the opposition, no matter what it consisted of.

Temari and Kankurou emerged from Father's shadow when Gaara turned twelve, and the three siblings of the Sand became a team, so to speak, under their 'sensei,' Baki. Gaara resented the presence of his brother and sister, no more family to him than Father. Had they been ordered to keep an eye on him? Did Father believe that they could quell the wrath and the fury that turned him into a mindless, ravening beast more frequently now than ever before?

You are the ones who did this to me, he told them in his mind. You are the ones who decided I'm not human. I'm the perfect weapon, aren't I? No heart beats in my chest, no soul dictates my actions. A killing machine without remorse. That's what you wanted, isn't it? You needed the power, not the creature that comes with it. As long as you believed I could be contained, everything was fine. But you've realized that I won't follow your agenda, and now you pretend like you care. Now you try to be my family. Don't you see? You should have loved me from the beginning. You should have accepted me as one of your own, and because you didn't, I know how empty your affection is, how worthless.

"How are you feeling today, Gaara?" Temari would inquire in the voice she imagined belonged to a concerned older sister.

Kankurou usually came up with a joke in response, though his bantering tone didn't fool anyone. "Probably homicidal, as usual."

There were occasions in which Gaara would gratify such a statement with a reply; other times he remained silent, though his silence was never calm. The sand in his gourd was synchronized with his moods, and grains of it seemed to radiate from his skin like dry heat, which had the desired effect: no more chatter.

As a team, they really did not fight together, but individually, each with his—or her—own special skill. Temari influenced the wind with her deadly, beautiful fan; Kankurou animated Karasu, a puppet specifically designed for combat; Gaara utilized his sand. Despite the lack of teamwork, the trio made themselves into a force to be reckoned with, garnering a reputation of ferocity in battle. It came as no surprise when they were sent to Konoha to participate in the Chuunin Exam, an event held every two years that lured hopefuls from all neighboring villages to try their luck against their fellows.

Gaara did not know his life would be changed forever the day he set foot onto Konoha's soil, did not understand that the irritating boy with the blond hair who yearned for attention would be the person who did what all the others could not.

Uzumaki Naruto showed him his lost humanity.

_Naruto…Do you remember me? I remember you…you saved me…you let me see who I wanted to become…_

Another memory, more recent. Shortly after the battle he and Lee fought against Kimimaro, the underling of Orochimaru who used his own bones as weapons…

_The two sat together overlooking the vast expanse of desert, the sun shining brightly upon them. Kankurou exchanged his normal attire for a plain shirt and pants rolled up to the shin, his face clear of the purple paint he applied each morning and head free of the black, cat-eared hood that was his trademark. Gaara also dressed casually in maroon shirt and pants, gourd by his side. The two resembled each other in the way their legs were sprawled before them, the way they supported their weight on their forearms, the way their hair stuck out at the same angles. _

_Brothers. _

"_I've been thinking…about the future, about what I'm going to do with myself for the rest of my life…"_

"_Oh yeah? Come up with something good?"_

"_Well…maybe. I think so." _

_Kankurou raised his eyebrows. Leave it to Gaara to be frustratingly vague. "And? I'm dying of curiosity, here." _

_The younger snorted, a gesture so human that it surprised both of them. "I'm still getting used to this 'bearing of the soul' thing, so you'll have to go easy on me." _

_Examining his brother's face, Kankurou decided that it was okay to smile, so he did. "Yeah, yeah, but you should know that leaving an impatient person like me hanging is a cruel form of torture, and I believe we're past that stage." _

"_Are we?"_

"_I'd sure as hell hope so, or I'm gonna be hurting tonight." _

_This time, Gaara actually laughed, and it sounded… strange in his ears. Like the bark of a dog. He'd have to work on that. "We _are _past that stage," he admitted, then shook his head ruefully. "Oh, all right. I'll tell you. But…I have a lot of…baggage to get rid of." _

_His brother flung out an arm. "Concierge, at your service. Just talk, Gaara. Please." He added when the other showed hesitation. _

_Gaara realized he had boxed himself in a corner, and had no choice but to speak now. In all honesty, though, he _wanted _to. "Uzumaki Naruto…you remember him, don't you?" Kankurou nodded. "He suffered the same way I did…he was shunned as a child because of the demon inside of him, he had to wander through the world alone, just like me. He understood what it felt like…and yet when he found people to devote himself to, people to fight for, he became stronger, forged his own path beyond the curse he was born with. His pain and the bonds he created from it became his strength. I tried so hard to figure out why he was so confident, why he claimed that his power outstripped mine, and the answer was right in front of me the whole time. Those people…his friends. _

"_I had no friends, Kankurou. No family. I fought only for myself, and I was lonely. I was lonely when I didn't have to be. You were there. And Temari. I know that you cared; I just couldn't see it then. I was so obsessed with my own pain that I convinced myself no one would ever relate to it. And it was true, in a different way. No one _could_ relate, because I didn't let them. I didn't let anyone in…and then Naruto found a way. I don't know how, but he opened my heart. He made me want to change, to…be more like him. To have people depend on me, and…be able to depend on them. Does that make sense?"_

"_Perfect sense," Kankurou replied, a slight warble in his voice. He coughed a bit to clear his throat, and his brother appeared relieved. _

"_Oh, good. I'm still trying to figure out if it makes sense to _me_." _

_They shared another laugh, and this time Gaara found it much easier. _

"_So, what do you plan to do with this newfound identity?" his brother asked, the old sarcasm unable to stay away for too long despite the seriousness of the moment. _

"_Since the position of Kazekage has been…vacated…I'd like to take it." He lowered his head, "As penance for all that I've done."_

_Kankurou was silent for awhile. _

"_Kazekage, huh?" He whistled finally, masking his shock. "Those are some pretty big shoes to fill." _

_Gaara's mouth quirked. "Yes, they are." He held his brother's eyes with his own. "Will you fear me then?" _

_The question was addressed to Kankurou, however another, much deeper question lie beneath it. 'Will the villagers accept me, or will they only find a bloodstained murderer when they look at me?' The older boy chewed thoughtfully at his lip. Since when had he and his baby brother talked to each other like this, no barrier to separate them? "No. I won't fear you. I'll serve you as one of your shinobi." He paused. "It'll be an honor." _

_The burning sensation in Gaara's eyes told him that he had not lost the ability to cry, and he blinked rapidly to keep his emotions in check, though he was not quick enough to prevent a few tears from trailing down his cheeks. _

"_Thank you," he whispered, "for being my brother." _

_Kankurou closed his eyes, battling his own emotions, and then gave Gaara a one-armed hug around his head, as if they had been close forever. "Don't be stupid. This is what families are for, though I suppose you missed out on that bandwagon. Kami help us, we've got a lot to teach you, shrimp." _

The darkness had not gone away. It was all around him still, a cloak of impenetrable, suffocating thickness. How long would he remain shrouded from the light?

_It's happening. _

That voice…the voice of the demon. Shukaku. The demon sealed beneath his navel. But…something was different.

_They're trying to take me away. _

Akatsuki…the organization that attacked his village, searching for him…It all came back to the tanuki, to Shukaku, to that colossal power…

_Just like before…_

Before? So Gaara was not the only vessel…and the same thing that was happening to him—to them—had happened to the others. Were they lost in this darkness as well?

Shukaku…where are you? I can't see you…I can't see anything…

And then his world faded.

_

* * *

__Who is calling me? Where is this? _

Shukaku looked down at the body he now possessed. He examined his hand, palm up, fingers curled.

_Whose hand is this? Mine? My hand? _

Something below caught his eye. There was another body floating there. Identical.

_What? Is that…me? Yes…yes it is. That's the me that wanted to feel needed. But why? I never felt these things before…Or did I? I don't remember…I can't remember the past anymore. _

The other self fascinated him.

_Those eyes, that nose, that mouth…Gaara. I've been inside of him, sharing his consciousness…no, what am I in the first place, then? Why don't I exist on my own? I'm nothing but a small…_

…_sensation…_

* * *

They weren't moving fast enough. 

Naruto could sense Gaara's chakra, and it was growing weaker. Soon, it would be gone entirely, and he wasn't about to stand for that.

_Gotta speed up. _

"Naruto, wait!" Sakura cried behind him as he rocketed ahead, though he pushed her voice to the back of his mind. At any other time, he'd be more than happy to allow her to distract him, but not now. Akatsuki wouldn't wait, and so he couldn't either.

_Damn it, Gaara, don't you _dare _die before I can reach you…_

Wind whipped his hair from his face as he ran; his feet pounded against the earth as they carried him closer to his destination; his vision narrowed to that spot in the distance where his one-time enemy, his fellow Jinchuuriki…his friend…was being held.

And all he could think about was how alone Gaara must feel.

His whole life he never had anyone to fight for him, just like Naruto. But where Gaara failed, Naruto succeeded. His tiny circle beginning with Iruka grew by leaps and bounds, until he had a full network of support, and he knew that he would never be lonely again. The Kazekage, on the other hand, had experienced none of that. He had no reason to think someone would come to his aid, even after he claimed the title of the most honored shinobi of his village. That was not to say that his brother and sister, or even the villagers themselves didn't care—many of them did.

But the doubt lingered, and that was the hardest thing to shake. Every now and then Naruto wondered if he were living in a dream, and that if he woke up, the years he had spent learning and laughing and growing would only be a fantasy. It had taken time to get to the point in which looking at his friends was all he needed to do to confirm that his reality _was_ real, however he started practicing early. Gaara existed without hope of true companionship for much longer than Naruto; his doubt was more profound, and would not be so easily vanquished.

The blonde boy had every intention of changing that.

_I'm your friend, and I'll fight for you no matter how dangerous it is. Don't let go. You've got so much of your life left to live. Don't let go! There _is _a place for you in this world, and people who need you. I'm almost there. Hold on!_

The landscape altered, and the terrain became rockier, forcing Naruto to abandon such thoughts and focus on the path ahead of him. From the sound of pebbles tumbling downhill nearby, Naruto could tell that Sakura picked up her pace to stay close to him, and that, in a strange way, was comforting. He liked the idea of having her near, especially now. The strength he had in abundance by himself increased with her presence, gave him an extra push in the right direction.

_I'll tell you how much you mean to me someday, Sakura-chan, I promise. Once I make myself into the man worthy of your love, I'll tell you all of my secrets. When I'm less of a coward, you'll know all there is to know about me. Until then, I'll be content with your footsteps next to mine… _

"This way!" He called to her over his shoulder. "Follow me!"

Sakura's eyes had since begun to water as the wind slammed against her due to the brisk pace Naruto set, though she had to tolerate it if she wanted to keep up. Boulder after boulder passed beneath her feet; she used the sturdiest to provide a trail as she jumped from one to another, the back of Naruto's very blonde head always in her line of sight.

_Gaara…Naruto…alike and unalike…You have a bond with him, don't you, Naruto? Two Jinchuuriki, two targets of an organization bent on becoming the masters of your Bijuu…Kyuubi and Shukaku. You've made him a brother of your heart, and when _his_ heart is breaking, you feel it, too. _

A tree branch fast approached; she swiped it aside, earning a slash over her knuckles. Wincing, she continued on. The cut wasn't vital enough to pause for.

_Oh, Naruto…what'll you do if he doesn't survive? You've put on a brave face and acted like you have everything under control, but I know how vulnerable you are now. You haven't stopped blaming yourself for his..._it was difficult to say the name…_for Sasuke's betrayal, as irrational as that may be. One more failure could break you…_

As soon as she thought that, she was ashamed.

_No. Haven't you proved your worth already? You were made to endure, Naruto. I have no right to doubt you anymore. You never doubted me… _

_Tsunade said to believe, so I will. _

"I believe."

Her soft murmur was spirited away by the wind.

* * *

Though he knew he shouldn't be, Kakashi was preoccupied. Oh, he was well aware of the urgency of this mission, and he took it just as seriously as Naruto did, but…a lot of old feelings had been resurrected the night before, during his conversation with Chiyo, and he was having quite a time of shoving them back to a little-used corner of his mind. 

"_What are you doing up, Chiyo-sama? I'll keep watch. You should get some sleep." _

_The old woman looked at him, amusement in her lined, brown eyes. "Sama? You needn't bother with honorifics, Kakashi. Just Chiyo is fine. And I am more than capable of going without a little sleep, thank you. I'm not in my grave yet." _

_Kakashi's brows shot up, and then he smiled beneath his mask, taking a seat next to her by the fire. "I've been justly rebuked," he concurred cheerfully. "Mind if I sit up with you, then? I'd feel weird if I zonked out while you were awake."_

_It was Chiyo's turn to raise her brows. "In other words, you still think I'm too old to handle this myself." _

"_Well..." The silvery-haired man lifted his hands in a defeated shrug. "I can't help that my mother raised me with morals." _

_Chiyo shook her head, a hint of a grin tugging at her mouth. "So she taught you all decrepit crones are in need of babysitters?"_

"_Something like that." _

_The Elder of the Sand laughed out loud. "You're a good boy, Kakashi. Do as you wish." _

Boy? Cripes…the way she says it makes me feel like I'm six again…_ "Thanks. And I believe I will." _

"_Good," Chiyo replied, watching the flames of the fire dance for a moment, and then returning her attention to her companion. The way she stared at him so intently made him a bit uncomfortable, as if he were stripped bare before her while she peeled back the layers of his skin to see into his very soul. "I know that you are not the White Fang, Kakashi, but your resemblance to him is uncanny…too much to attribute to mere coincidence."_

_He fidgeted with a blade of grass pinched between two fingers, unsure of what to say. This subject had always been a sore spot, and he tried to steer clear of it as often as possible. _I should have known my aversion would come and bite me in the ass someday. You'd laugh if you were here, Obito. You'd say I deserve this for being a lazy bum who takes the easy way out of dealing with his problems. _"I suppose that makes sense, since he was my father." _That wasn't so bad…

"_Ah," said Chiyo knowingly, like she had expected such an answer. Her ears were as sharp as they'd been when she was a girl, so she did not fail to note that Kakashi used 'was,' not 'is,' to describe his relation to Hatake Sakumo. But she would ask about that later. "Let me see underneath your mask, boy." _

_If it were any other person, he would have blurted some nonsensical excuse and changed the topic. Chiyo, however, had her own breed of power that left him no option but to indulge her, grasping the edge of the mask and drawing it down to reveal nose, mouth, and chin. _

"_My, what a handsome face." Her voice had a jovial lilt that reminded him of the wharves where the uneducated speech of fishermen sounded like music, and he had to smile. _

"_Nah. You're just toying with my delicate ego." _

_The woman cackled. "Hardly delicate. Why on earth do you wear that silly thing?"_

"_Habit, mostly," he replied, absently rubbing his chin. The pads of his fingers encountered a rough patch of stubble, and he sighed. _I've gotta shave…_ "And…I guess because I don't want to be branded as 'the White Fang's Son' forever. No…didn't," he amended himself. "It was a much bigger deal when I was an arrogant little ass of a kid." _And you fixed _that_, Obito._ "In the end, I managed to earn myself a reputation apart from Dad's just fine, anyway, mask or no mask."_ Yeah. Haven't killed myself yet...

_He made an unpleasant realization with that thought. _

After all these years, I'm still bitter. I still think he should've made an effort to go on, even if he was disgraced. He had me. He had Ma, and she died of grief, a withered doll.

_Chiyo immediately sensed something amiss from the subtle change in his tone and expressions. His face was one that had known pain in the past, deep, scarring pain, yet managed to conceal the evidence after becoming prone to good humor. Now, she glimpsed shadows of that pain restored on the surface. _

"_I see I've opened wounds that should have remained closed," she placed one of her weathered hands over his. "Forgive me." _

"_No, no, don't apologize," Kakashi insisted, banishing his self-pity to a place he wouldn't find it so easily again. _Grow the hell up, Hatake. You've got a great life, and you know it. _"I've never been able to come to terms with what happened, and it's my fault. I shouldn't have refused to talk about it." He paused, closed his visible eye. "My father…my father took his own life. Years ago. I was at that stage when my values were open to influence, when I was figuring out who I was and what I wanted to fight for, and when my father, the person I worshipped and adored, the person I believed could do no wrong…when he cracked and decided life wasn't worth living anymore…a part of me died with him. I became so…rigid, completely bent on following the rules to the letter. _

"_You see, before he died, my father was dishonored. He abandoned a mission to save his companions, and some of our people were lost as a result. Everyone accused him, even the friends he saved…He broke the rules, and he paid for the infraction. I wouldn't make the same mistake, that's what I told myself. I'd be the best damned shinobi there ever was." Ironic laughter. "But I was wrong. I was _too _rigid, and my best friend's name is carved on the Memorial Stone in front of our village because of it. He gave me this sharingan as a gift," Kakashi lifted his forehead protector to reveal his other eye, marred by a thin scar that cut a track from eyebrow to cheek, "so that I…could see the future for him." He tapered off, unable to speak further, and Chiyo did not ask him to. She had learned all she needed to know about him in these few moments. _

"_You _are _a good boy, Kakashi," she confirmed softly. "And your father was a good man, for all that he was the enemy of my son. I despised him, of course, but that is only natural." The silvery-haired man made an indelicate noise, and she grinned. "I do like _you_, though. Your friend's sacrifice has not gone to waste." _

Have I acted the way you'd want me to, Obito? Are you proud of me? Is the future I've seen enough?

_"I hope you're right. With all my heart, I hope you're right." _

"Kakashi?"

He came back to the present, wind against his face, traveling alongside Chiyo while Naruto and Sakura scouted on ahead. He did not know how long the Elder had been speaking.

"Sorry. Just spaced out for a bit."

He followed her gaze to his former student, a boy who had started off with little talent, though his immense will to succeed more than made up for it. Now, three years of hardship later, he had the potential to be the best of all of them, he who had once been the least. A diamond in the rough, ready to be polished to perfection…That was Uzumaki Naruto.

He waited for Chiyo to speak the question in her eyes.

"Why does that boy try so hard to help Gaara, when he is a member of another village?" She paused. "And…what is he, exactly?"

_So she didn't guess…_

"He's a Jinchuuriki like Gaara, sealed with the Kyuubi, no less. Granted, Naruto has no reason to have an attachment to Suna…and, when you get down to it, it's really Gaara-kun he has a connection with. More than anybody in Suna, Naruto understands what Gaara is going through, because he went through it, too. Jinchuuriki suffer the same treatment no matter which village they belong to, whether Konoha or Suna, and that sort of thing has never made any difference to Naruto. In his eyes, Gaara-kun is a friend who knows the same pain as him."

Chiyo's expression was thoughtful, though she remained silent.

Kakashi continued.

"Naruto's dream is to become Hokage, so when he found out that Gaara had become Kazekage, he was frustrated…but at the same time, from the bottom of his heart, he was happy. You know, Naruto has this mysterious power…he doesn't have to talk to a person for very long before he makes them his friend. Must be part of the reason why he has compassion for his enemies…well, most of them, anyway."

"I'm old," Chiyo finally responded. "I've seen many things, and I've learned the truth of the world to some degree…and it made me a cynic. Once I understood that alliances between villages existed in name only, I devised a way to protect Sunagakure, or so I believed." Her voice became quieter. "I was the one who used a jutsu on Gaara, to seal Shukaku within him. It was a mistake. Instead of protecting the village, I hurt it, and now the country we avoided due to lack of faith is trying to help. What does that say about us, Kakashi?" She sighed, watching Sakura's back as the girl glided through the air. "Youth…I had that once, and I envy those who have it now. My potential is wasted."

"Hush," Kakashi chided. "You've got enough energy to chase after a bunch of pups like us, so you can't be _that _old."

In spite of herself, the woman chortled. "True, true. Who knows? Maybe a hag like me has a few tricks left up her sleeve. I might still have something to offer." _I may redeem myself yet…and then perhaps you'll forgive me for what I've done to you, Gaara. _

Kakashi faced forward once again, their destination looming ever closer. _We all have our own demons, don't we, Obito? Even you had them. The difference is that ours aren't physically part of ourselves…aren't Bijuu…so they can't be torn out. They can't leave a raw, gaping hole behind. If we lose our demons, we won't die. _

_Obito, watch for me. Let us make it…Please…_

* * *

Gai's team arrived a few minutes ahead of Kakashi's, and they stood before an immense cavern that had been sealed shut, two large pillars like sentinels on either side of the opening. 

"Gaara's behind that boulder," Pakkun, one of Kakashi's special nin-dogs told Lee as he perched on the boy's shoulder.

Neji formed a seal quickly. "Byakugan!" Veins gathered at the corners of his activated eyes, eyes that penetrated the stone to show him what lie beyond the blocked entryway.

"What do you see, Neji?" His teammate Tenten inquired.

"I…" _What the hell is that?_

"Neji, what's going on in there?" Lee prodded.

"It's…hard to explain with words." _This is bad…_

Before anyone else could speak, Gai, face unreadable, ran at the wall and smashed his fist against it, resulting in a huge outward explosion of pressure. The fist hadn't even touched the stone, but was warded off by a swirling shield of pure power.

"A barrier, huh?" He observed grimly. "I'm not surprised."

"Damn it," Lee swore to himself. Out loud, he called, "What should we do?"

His sensei turned to look at his prodigal student. "First things first, we have to remove this barrier, Lee!"

"How?" said Tenten, exasperated. "We don't even know what kind of shield—"

"That's a _Gofuu Kekkai, _if I've ever seen one."

They all looked around at once.

"You're late, Kakashi," Gai said with a smirk.

The silvery-haired man waved that off. "Nah. We just ran into a bit of trouble on the way."

"Naruto-kun! Sakura-san!" exclaimed Lee as his friends emerged.

"Hey!" Naruto shouted back. His eyes traveled to the boulder, and he bared his teeth. _Gaara…I'm here…I can still sense you, though it's just a faint nudge…I'm gonna get you out, I swear it. _

Sakura spared one sidelong glance at Naruto before she commented, "You were all here a little faster, huh?" _This is it. This is where it counts. Naruto…I'm not leaving your side until this is over, and I don't care if you protest. You need someone like me to keep you focused. _She did not know why she decided this all of a sudden, only that it felt…right. Like he really _did _need her as a balancing force to make sure his passionate rage didn't override his reason. And, even more surprising…she _wanted_ it that way.

What on earth was happening to her?

_Don't worry about it now. Later. _

"Think we can break this sucker?" Gai was asking Kakashi when her attention returned to the present.

"No," Kakashi replied without hesitation. "We've got no choice. Whether we _can _or not isn't relevant anymore."

Ruffled only slightly, Gai shook his head. "Well then, let's do this!"

_Here we go, _thought Sakura, resting a hand on Naruto's tense shoulder. "It'll be all right," she whispered for his ears alone.

He looked at her as if he were lost, and then looked at her hand. The muscle beneath her fingers relaxed for a moment. "Do you think so?" It was not so much a question as a need for affirmation, and her heart ached for him.

"I know so," she said firmly, determined to act as the anchor this time, after all the times Naruto had been one for her.

She wasn't sure the mission would succeed, but she could pretend.

_God help me if I'm wrong. _

_

* * *

__Gofuu Kekkai-_Five-Part Seal 

Looks like this may become a rather…colossal undertaking. I'm already planning a third chapter, so who knows how many more will follow? I've just been somewhat unsatisfied with the lack of character insight, so I decided to supply it myself. I like to _know _what a character thinks while he or she is going through an ordeal. Well, that, and I'm incredibly nosy. Heh. Well, whatever. I'm babbling now. Hopefully I've remained faithful to the original story, since that is my intent—with a twist, of course.

See ya next chapter! (I've always wanted to say that…I'm such a nerd).


	3. Rage

**Three: Rage**

* * *

A young woman sat atop a grassy knoll overlooking a vast sea of green, individual blades undulating in the light breeze that gently whistled over the meadow. This was her favorite place to meditate, about a mile from the Hyuuga compound, a small, lush wonderland where patches of wildflowers grew and woodland animals chattered to each other as they headed off on their daily excursions for food. There was something very peaceful about the meadow, an air of serene contentment that settled in her heart as she tilted her face toward the sky, eyes closed and hands resting lightly on her knees. 

Though it was only mid-afternoon, her day had begun before the sun rose. As with every morning, she performed a series of complicated strengthening exercises as soon as she woke, followed by a sparring session with her sister Hanabi and instruction from her father and the elders on diplomacy and the ways of a clan leader. It would be some time before she assumed control over their flock, her father still as alert and hale as a youth, but it did not hurt to be prepared. With war looming on the horizon, the probability of suffering casualties was high, and it was impossible to determine who would be left standing by the end. If her father were to die, she would have to be ready to take her place as heir of the Hyuuga legacy.

At first, the prospect of such a large burden being placed on her shoulders frightened her beyond words, but she had since resigned herself to her destiny, looking it squarely in the eye with cool determination. Her debilitating shyness she cast off like a child who loses interest in a favorite toy, yet her nature remained quiet and somewhat reserved. The difference now was that when she spoke, people listened, and when she put on her game face, her challengers took her seriously.

She smiled as a curious butterfly fluttered about her nose and gave a contented sigh. "Beautiful," she murmured.

Nearby, a lone figure crested a hill, one hand shielding his eyes from the bright sunlight, a medium-sized white and tan dog loping along by his side, pink tongue lolling.

"So, she's over there, eh, Akamaru?"

The dog barked an enthusiastic confirmation, and Kiba grinned. His faithful canine partner always did have a soft spot for Hinata, most likely because she usually had a treat hidden for him in the hood of her jacket when they were younger.

"I guess she really likes it out here," he mused, breathing in deeply. His sharp nose detected a hint of jasmine combined with the musky fragrance of wood shavings, and his eyes became soft. "Her scent's part of the atmosphere now."

Akamaru made a sly remark—in his own language, of course—about Kiba's more than apparent interest in the owner of that lovely scent, at which point his master called him a 'gossiping half-wit who has no idea what he's talking about,' and straightened his travel-stained vest with a brisk tug, two tiny spots of color on his cheeks. Akamaru sniggered in the manner of dogs, though refrained from venturing any further comments out of mercy for his feckless human.

They walked in companionable silence for a minute or so until Hinata's back came into view, her long, glossy violet hair free of bindings to flow over her shoulders. She wore a sleeveless, undyed wraparound tunic secured at the waist with a thick sash and black breeches that cut off just below the knee. Even from his vantage point he could tell she was in deep meditation, and, filled with sudden mischievous inspiration, he ghosted through the reeds in her direction, feet barely making a sound. The previous year he had gotten command of his own special tracking and reconnaissance unit, so he had mastered the art of moving around undetected. Once he was about a meter away, he reached into a holster strapped to his right leg and drew out a kunai, holding it between his index and middle fingers. Akamaru cocked his head questioningly, and Kiba winked at him before giving his wrist a sharp flick, the kunai whizzing full speed at its target.

Only after the weapon left his hand did the Inuzuka boy have second thoughts about his little trick.

_Shit…maybe that wasn't such a swell idea_, he though frantically, stomach clenched in fear. The kunai was hurtling closer and closer, and Hinata still showed no sign that she'd noticed. _I gotta do something! _As soon as he opened his mouth to warn her, however, her arm shot out and behind, intercepting the kunai before it could implant itself amid her shoulder blades.

"That's hardly a way to say hello," Hinata pointed out lightly, amusement in her voice. She lazily twirled the kunai around her finger while looking back at him with an arched brow, and patted the grass next to her. "Come have a seat."

Kiba's jaw hung slack. "You—I—"

A peal of silvery laughter greeted his ears.

"Don't just stand there. You've interrupted me, so make it worth my while."

Akamaru took the initiative first, gallivanting to the Hyuuga heir and depositing himself in her lap, tail wagging happily as she stroked his fur.

_Gee, thanks, Akamaru_, Kiba glowered at his companion. After that display, refusing to join them would be considered churlish, and, as Kiba had come with the intention of speaking to Hinata anyway, he had no choice but to follow his dog's example, and flopped down where she had beckoned.

"I'm sorry about the kunai thing…it was…an impulse," he explained, cheeks now as red as the crimson Inuzuka markings beneath his eyes. _Ack! That doesn't sound right…_"I'd never hurt you on purpose," he clarified gruffly, "Just so you know."

In response, Hinata reached out and tousled his unruly brown hair. "I understand," she told him, her features grave. She managed to hold that expression for a moment before she cracked, a bright smile lighting her heart-shaped face. "It's good to see you! And you, Akamaru," she added when the dog nipped playfully at her fingers. "How did your mission go?" Her strange, pupil-less eyes regarded his dirt-caked attire wryly. "You haven't even been home yet, have you?"

Kiba chuckled sheepishly. "I figured I'd stop by, since it's on my way." That was not quite true, as the Inuzuka clan house was in a more northwesterly direction, and it would take about fifteen minutes extra to get there from here, but that trivial bit of information was beyond the point. "And the mission didn't go as badly as I thought it would. Our darling enemies have erupted in a flurry of activity, and many of them are stupider than I gave them credit for."

When she looked at him quizzically, he explained, "Their tracks. I can tell they've tried to cover 'em up, but they did a shoddy job of it. I get about a week to recoup, and then I'm heading out again. I have a feeling multiple cells banded together to form a network, and if I can get an idea of where the main base is, I should be able to locate the others."

A slight crease formed over the bridge of Hinata's nose. The work her former teammate did was crucial; she did not discredit that, yet she still worried. "Just don't get reckless and overconfident while you're out there, Kiba, for my sake if nothing else."

Their eyes met.

Grass rustled in the breeze, emitting a soft shushing noise as the blades swayed. A lone dragonfly glided freely through the air, not a care in the world.

Kiba cleared his throat once, then twice. "I've gotten much better about that," he managed to defend himself finally. "I don't rush headlong into a skirmish without thinking about it first, and my little charmer here," Akamaru wagged his tail in recognition, "makes sure that I keep my wits about me. He's much less hesitant to bite now when I've pissed him off."

The Hyuuga girl laughed. "Oh, fine. As long as I know _someone's_ watching you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" demanded Kiba in an injured tone.

"Never mind," she replied mysteriously, and changed topics. "So, did you just come for the pleasure of my company?"

His face became serious. "No. Well, yes and no." Eyes overlooking the scenery, he remarked softly, "I heard Naruto came back."

Hinata examined her hands. "Yes. Only briefly, though. I didn't see him."

"Are you okay with that?" the dark-haired Chuunin pressed, somewhat surprised by her reaction. "I mean, I know how much you admired him…"

"It's all right."

Her voice had a finality to it that threw him off guard, and he forced her to look at him.

"Explain."

"I…I did admire him, Kiba, enough to want to change, and I still _do _admire him, but…we lead two completely different lives. I never really grasped that before, not until…" She broke off, chewing on her lower lip.

"Until?"

"Until my future whacked me upside the head."

And then understanding dawned. Hinata was to be the leader over the entirety of her clan, both Main and Branch houses, and it was because of this rift that Hyuuga had the most complicated internal structure out of any of Konoha's major clans. Not only would she be responsible for maintaining an image of peace between the two houses, but she would also have to be fair and just with both sets of members while honoring their separate systems of regulation. In addition, it was her duty to ensure the continuation of the bloodline by producing an heir of pure blood who would eventually take her place.

"You see?" she said almost ironically once his silence had stretched long enough. "Naruto-kun has his dream to become Hokage, and he will. I, on the other hand, have my own path, one that I am not afraid to walk, and I owe it all to him. Someday, I hope to thank him for being my inspiration, but that can wait."

And then she smiled, reinstating the flush that Kiba had managed to subdue.

"I'll be fine, Kiba, I promise."

The odd thing was, for whatever reason, he knew she would be.

"You've come a long way, kid," he told her as he slung an arm about her shoulders.

She wrapped one of her own around him in return. "So have you, puppy."

"_Puppy?_" He spluttered. "I am _not_ a puppy anymore, thanks very much!"

The sound of Hinata's laughter rang through the quiet meadow like the chime of a tiny bell.

* * *

Pakkun examined the scene ahead of him, feeling well out of his league. 

"I should probably hit the road," he said apologetically to his master. "There's not much else I can do other than take up space."

Kakashi smiled. "No problem. You did a good job."

The pug gave them all the tiniest of nods, and disappeared in a poof of smoke.

"So, how exactly do we go about doing this?" Gai inquired, gaze intent upon the immense boulder barring their way. "You're the expert here, I'm afraid," he told Kakashi in a manner that made it seem as though his teeth hurt to admit it.

The silvery-haired Jounin held his chin, exposed eye calculating. "Seems to me like this particular _Gofuu Kekkai _was set up with kin tags spaced out among five points in the vicinity." He motioned toward the boulder. "Discounting this one, there are four others we have to get rid of before we can storm the barrier."

"Well where the hell are the rest of 'em?" Naruto demanded, appearing like a trap ready to spring as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. _Damn it! There's no time for this! Each minute we spend out here is another minute of Gaara's life…_

Sakura, who had not removed her hand from his shoulder, applied a bit more pressure to make him remember to stay calm. "Easy, Naruto," she whispered near his ear. "One thing at a time."

He spared her a quick glance out of the corner of his eye, though he did loosen up. "I know," he concurred grudgingly. "I'm just worried...Sorry, Sakura-chan."

Before she could reply, Kakashi spoke again. "Neji-kun, it's your stage."

"I'm on it."

The Hyuuga boy reactivated his Byakugan, then rattled off a list of locations, including a tree trunk, a rock, a cliff side, and a grove, and their distance from the point at which the group gathered a few seconds later.

"All right, here's what we'll do," Gai began, fishing five wireless communication systems out of his rucksack and passing them around to his team and Kakashi, keeping one for himself. "Since my guys are all about speed, the four of us will take care of the other tags and notify you when we've got them." As an afterthought, he undid the knot that held his forehead protector around his waist and strapped it on where it belonged. Lee followed suit.

"Are we ready?" Gai faced his team, who nodded in unison. A hint of a smile crossed his features before he shouted, "Team Gai, Power of Youth Times Ten! Go!"

They went in a spectacular show of momentum that left Kakashi envious.

_Showoff, as usual_, he thought dryly, though he had to hand it to him—Gai knew how to get things done.

Naruto watched the fading remnants of their hasty departure with his teeth bared, drumming his fingers against the fabric covering his arm. He was more than aware of the troubled looks Sakura continued to shoot his way, and he could even hear her scolding him in his head, however he could not seem to reign in the impatience that now dictated his every move.

_Gaara…you're slipping…I can feel it. I've gotta get in there _now_! I can't stand here and let you die! You're too young…you're the same age as me! Gaara, don't stop fighting it. Hold on with every last ounce of strength you can muster. It's not gonna end this way, I won't allow it! _

Kakashi knew without needing to see it as he climbed up the boulder to the kin tag that his most energetic former student was experiencing extreme emotional turmoil, and he sighed to himself, remembering a certain someone who had been placed in a similar situation years ago.

_Strange how the past comes back to haunt you, isn't it, Obito? But at least in this case Naurto isn't the one at fault…_his_ defective judgment isn't the reason why Gaara's stuck in there…_

The sound of Obito's fervent, spirited voice echoed in his memory, and it was in that voice his conscience set him straight.

_Shut up, you ass. Quit with the tragic guilt trip, already! You're making me sick! I had a say in what happened too, ya know. So a rock squashed me to a pulp. It was a miscalculation on my part, and it had absolutely nothing to do with you. I would've gone after Rin whether you came or not. Period. End of discussion. Now focus, baka! _

He had no further opportunities to contemplate the errors he had made as a young Jounin, because the reception from the wireless device in his ear had begun to crackle, and he heard Gai on the other end.

"They're all off!"

"Right." He lowered the small microphone by his mouth and shouted to his pink-haired subordinate, "Sakura! As soon as I yank this thing, smash the barrier as hard as you can!"

"Gotcha!" She called back, and reached into her pack for the pair of black gloves she acquired from Tsunade, slipping them on briskly. With one last look at Naruto, she moved into position before the boulder.

_Please, don't let me be wrong…please let Gaara be okay…I don't think I'll be able to stop Naruto if he isn't…_

"Sakura, now!"

There was the signal.

Breathing deeply, she concentrated chakra in her fist, drew back, and then let it fly; upon impact, the rock splintered like shattered glass. There was a brief moment of utter stillness before the solidarity of the wall gave way, large chunks of rock toppling forward in an avalanche of stone. Sakura and Kakashi were well out of range by the time the rock hit the ground, and went to stand with Naruto and Chiyo, who waited for the cloud of dust surrounding the opening to disburse.

Slowly, the air cleared, and a vast, yawning black chasm revealed itself. A tense silence passed among the group gathered at the foot of the cavern; Kakashi gestured to skirt the debris and follow him. The Jounin went in first, tailed by Naruto, Sakura, and Chiyo, who brought up the rear.

The inside of the grotto was damp; somewhere in the distance, the steady drip of water resonated through the enormous expanse of open space, marred here and there by clusters of stalagmites that jutted up from the ground like razor-sharp stakes. Light filtered in from the now gaping aperture they entered through, reverberating off of the walls and illuminating the center of the cave.

Chiyo's sharp intake of breath alerted the others, who stared ahead with wide eyes.

Two figures in the black, high-necked capes adorned with white clouds outlined in red of the Akatsuki awaited them.

The Elder of the Sand's wizened face was set as she surveyed her grandson, a traitor to his blood, his people…his Kazekage…

_Sasori…what have you done to yourself, boy? There is so much hatred in your heart…it has disfigured you…_

Naruto could not believe what he was seeing, _refused_ to believe. It was too much, too vile to be true.

"I wonder which of these pretties is our Jinchuuriki, mm-hmm?" The one on the left inquired sardonically to his companion, however the comment was lost on Naruto. His eyes were fixed on the spot beneath the pony-tailed man who spoke, almost blinded by fury. As he balled his hands into fists, his nails extended to claw-like points that bit into his skin, and the warm trickle of blood ran unnoticed down his palms. The whisker markings on his cheeks flared, mutating until they resembled deep, jagged gashes on either side of his enraged face. His mouth curled into a snarl, incisors elongating into fangs. His eyes changed color, from cobalt blue to blood red, pupils narrowing to slits. His mind went blank.

Next to the two men stood an odd-looking creature with the feet, hindquarters, and wings of a bird and small, beady eyes, its head cocked to one side like an inquisitive child.

But that was not what sent a searing trail of fire through Naruto's chest.

"Get off of him now."

The nails of his hands burrowed deeper into his skin. The blonde Akatsuki member was sitting on Gaara as if he were no more than a lifeless rag doll.

Sakura's hand flew to her mouth. _Oh God…_ "Naruto! NO!"

Oblivious to any of the others, Naruto's world narrowed to him and his foes. He no longer cared about the risk to himself if he were to be captured here; the only thing that mattered was the still, prostate form of Gaara…his friend… his brother-of-the-heart…

"I'LL KILL YOU!" He roared, sending pebbles tumbling down the rock walls. "BASTARDS! I'M GONNA MAKE YOU WISH YOU'D NEVER BEEN BORN!"

"Is that—" Sasori jerked his head at Naruto, "—the one?"

The man named Deidera flashed a smirk at his superior. "Itachi was right, mm-hmm. This fella's feisty, so it's gotta be him." He held up his hand, palm facing inward, and cackled as the mouth imbedded in the skin began to salivate hungrily. "You'll get fed soon enough, mm-hmm. Young blood, too." Almond-shaped eyes set in a feminine face gazed lazily at their prey. "This'll be a good fight, don't you think, boss? Lots of _fun._"

Naruto's vision became clouded with rage. "Gaara! Get up, damn it! Get up!"

_You can't feel his chakra anymore, can you? _

Dream Sakura had returned, though he knew this time, he wasn't dreaming.

Shut up! It's _not_ gone!

_You can deny it all you want, but the fact remains that you were too late. Gaara is—_

No! I won't listen! He's not! Don't even say it!

"Naruto, enough," Kakashi's pained voice brought him back to the present. "You should know by now…"

At that moment, Deidera rose to his feet, his expression one of crazed ecstasy. "So the silver one gets it, mm-hmm." His laughter reverberated off of the walls, creating an intensified echo that made Sakura's skin crawl. "Red here is _dead_, all right. _Very _dead."

_I was wrong…I lied to him…I was wrong…_ The pink-haired girl clutched at her chest, over her violently thrashing heart. _This can't be happening…_

For an instant, Naruto remained motionless, the very words he had been dreading to hear repeating over and over and over in his head…a broken record stuck on one spot, replaying the same notes, the same verse, for an eternity…

And then he snapped.

"_Give him back," _he demanded in a dangerously quiet tone, one that Sakura had never heard before, and she realized that she was terrified, not of him, but _for _him.

_That anger…it's bigger than he is…that anger has the power to consume him…like…like Sasuke…_

"GIVE HIM BACK TO ME!"

White-hot rage simmered beneath his skin as Naruto tore after his enemy, no longer aware of his surroundings. _GAARA!_

Kakashi, who had no intention of allowing his errant former student to run straight into the arms of death, placed himself deliberately into Naruto's path, arms outstretched. "Listen to me," he whispered fiercely, "you go in there as you are, without any plan whatsoever, and it's over, got it? _Cool off_."

Furious, Naruto had no choice but to obey. _Damn it, Kakashi! What the hell are you playing at? _

Not impressed by the scene, Sasori glanced sidelong at his cohort. "Leave this one—" his eyes darted to Gaara's still form and back "—with me. Seems like the other Jinchuuriki wants him back, doesn't it?"

"Certainly looks that way," Deidera replied with a mocking little inclination of his head at Naruto. He smirked when the younger boy growled, and returned his attention to Sasori. "Boss…you'll probably get pissed off at me for suggesting this, but let me take care of Blondie. He needs to be _broken_, mm-hmm, and I'm _real _good at breaking things," he examined his hand again, "am I not?"

"Don't get greedy," Sasori snapped acidly. "It's one Jinchuuriki per member, in case you've forgotten."

The pony-tailed man's eye gave a twitch. "Boss, I'm an artist, same as you," he pointed out between clenched teeth. "All play and no work makes Jack a dull boy."

"Hah! You still call those sloppy explosions of yours art? _True_ art withstands the ages, it doesn't come and go in seconds."

Deidera raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? I believe we may just have to agree to disagree, boss. Art _does_ come and go. It's fleeting beauty."

"What are they talking about?" Sakura said quietly, incensed. "I don't get these two at all."

Naruto had heard enough.

"Art? Who gives a rat's ass about art? I'm ending this!"

Reaching into his side pouch, he yanked out a scroll, tore it open, and ran his fingers along the writing, producing a large, windmill shuriken, which he sent spiraling at the Akatsuki operatives. Without so much as batting an eye, Sasori deflected it using a long, spine-like tail that snaked out from beneath his cape, and carried on his conversation as if nothing happened.

"Deidera, do you _want _me to become angry?"

"I thought I just told you that you'd probably be pissed, mm-hmm."

_How…the shuriken…he didn't even look at it…_ Sakura thought with growing trepidation. _This is not good…_

Chiyo, who had not spoken since entering the grotto, recognized the swaying tail for what it was. _More puppets, I see. So he hasn't tired of them yet. However the real question is…how far has he developed them? _

"Oh, whatever. Time for me and Red to have a flying lesson," Deidera straightened up and motioned for the strange bird-creature to take the body of the Kazekage. "And at least my art isn't more suitable for children's parties, boss," he couldn't resist adding when he was safely on the back of the bird and high in the air. "I do look forward to meeting you again in the future, Blondie!" He called to Naruto. "It'll be a _blast_, mm-hmm. Later!"

"Where're you taking Gaara?" Naruto shouted. "Get down here!" _Damn it! How am I gonna steal Gaara back from them now? _Angry tears pooled in his red eyes. _I failed…I couldn't stop them…He's dead…_

_Dead._

_Gaara is dead…_

_My fault. All my fault. I wasn't strong enough. I wasn't fast enough. And now he's gone. _

Sakura saw his face contort in pain, saw the tears that dripped from his fiery eyes, heard the silent accusations he directed inward, at himself, and knew that any words of hers would not reach him, not in this state. But what else could she do? How could she possibly aid him?

_I've never felt so helpless in my entire life…so tiny…Oh, Naruto…if you're killed here, too, I…_

"Sakura."

She looked up at Kakashi's masked face.

"You stay here with Chiyo and fend off the big guy. Me and Naruto will handle the one in the air."

_No! I can't leave him, Kakashi! _She wanted to scream. _Don't you realize how unstable he is right now? He's liable to make mistakes! Mistakes that will cost him everything…_

A gentle yet firm hand rested on her shoulder. "Do as I say. We have to hold them until Gai and his team returns. Just trust me on this one." _I'm just as worried as you, Sakura, which is why it has to be me with him. I won't allow two veterans to be paired together and risk both of you. _

She had to make a decision, and she had to make it now. "I understand." _We can't afford to stall any longer…I'll do what I must, as long as Naruto is safe…_ One glance at the blonde boy was all she permitted herself before she squared her shoulders and turned to Chiyo, mind racing. She had almost forgotten how perilous her own fight would be, especially when she considered her opponent.

_This guy…I can barely even look at him without feeling sick to my stomach…there's something wrong with his chakra…it's…corrupted…like Gaara's sand was. He's a killer to his core, and he's had far more experience than me. I have to be vigilant, or it'll end as soon as it begins…_

"Sakura, don't worry," Old Chiyo finally spoke. Her hands were tucked into her sleeves, as if she were probing for a weapon. "I may appear old, however my status was not bestowed upon me without a reason." She drew her hands out, strings containing kunai hooked over her knobby thumbs. In one fluid motion, she flung her arms wide, the kunai rocketing from the string toward her grandson. As before, that sinuous, bony tail warded them off as if they were no more than pesky flies.

_Oh? _Chiyo noticed the new tear in Sasori's cape. _I hit you once, boy. Will I be able to do it again?_

Sakura's eyes went wide. _So this is the power of Akatsuki…If one member is this strong, what about all of them together? _She gave an involuntary shudder, and instantly rebuked herself. _Enough. Focus, now. If I survived a scuffle with Itachi, I can survive one with this monster, too. _

Such a task would have been easier had Sasori not done what he did next.

Crouched on hands and knees, the former Sand-nin concentrated his will on the cape, shredding it to tatters. A bone-white protuberance shaped like a grotesque, smiling mask covered his back like a turtle's shell, the tail emerging through the mask's gaping jaws.

"I really don't want to do this, you know," Sasori drawled in a way that made it quite clear he meant the opposite, "Still, you did decide to oppose me all by yourselves, so I'm left with no alternative." His cold, black eyes met with theirs. "Do you want to add your body to my masterpiece, Granny? All of the entrails come out first, and then the skin, but once I've cleaned the mess and drawn your blood, the effect is magnificent."

Sakura was repulsed. _What the _hell_? He…he's insane…_

"That's not his real body, Sakura," Chiyo quietly informed her. "It's a puppet."

_A puppet? Wait…Kankurou's Karasu…wasn't it made by this same person? Sasori…_

"I'll have to make sure to preserve the bodies so they don't rot, of course; once that tediousness is out of the way, I'll put the traps in and you two will be at the very top." Though a cloth bandanna concealed the lower half of his face, the way his eyes crinkled around the corners suggested that he was smiling. "The old woman is correct, after all—I have many bodies inside this one. Counting you, it'll be three-hundred." Stretching one arm forward, he braced himself on the other, doing the same with his feet. The mask rose slightly, laughing at them, taunting them… "Behold my art!"

Pushing her fear and disgust aside, Sakura dropped into fighting stance._ Freak. The day I give you _my _body is the day hell freezes over. _

Wary, the Elder began to prepare herself mentally for the task ahead, forcing the love and pity she still felt for the grandson that had perished the day this _thing_ before her came into existence out of her mind, for holding fast to it would only present a weakness.

_Well, boy, the day of reckoning has come, as I knew it would eventually. You will not find me willing to die just yet, I'm afraid. I have one more thing I must do before I depart this world…_

* * *

Naruto and Kakashi stood side by side, watching the bird that carried the Kazekage's body within its pouch-like mouth and the Akatsuki member who rode atop it as it soared through the sky. 

_Gaara…you were alone…you were alone when you died…you didn't have anyone there to ease your suffering, to protect you…_

…_You were always alone…_

The other chakra inside of him stirred, that presence prowling back and forth behind the iron bars of a prison cell straining against its confinement, violently demanding to be set free.

While Kyuubi did not posses anything that resembled a human conscience, he was able to connect with a fellow Bijuu on a certain level, knowing that the fate of all his kind was inexplicably bound to the power-hungry beast that was the human race. Wasn't his imprisonment testimony to that? Hadn't he already spent sixteen years sealed inside the body of this child?

It was a rare thing indeed for Kyuubi to be inclined to involve himself in the affairs of humans; he loathed them all indiscriminately, and would rather they continued to engage in their foolish wars and spare him the monotonous business of killing them—they could slaughter each other just as well without his help.

However, in recent years, these Akatsuki rodents had begun to alter his perspective on the matter. All of the scurrying arms and legs of the organization were more meddlesome and intrusive than humans ought to be, convinced that they had the means to subdue a demon in possession of far greater strength and spiritual energy than their puny brains could even begin to comprehend.

The sheer ignorance exhibited by these trumped-up, egotistical pests had far exceeded his allotted store of patience.

Unfortunately, his options at this juncture were few, considering the manner of his captivity. Any move he made would have to be synonymous with the boy, which meant offering his temporary allegiance to the very scum that had whelped him, and forced Kyuubi to inhabit a body other than his own.

The injustice of it was infuriating, however he did not have much of a choice if he wanted to avoid the possibility of becoming a tool to the Akatsuki.

**Brat. Do you hear me? **

_Kyuubi? _Naruto's voice was startled.

**Yes. I'm glad we've established that. Now listen. You are very angry, are you not? I can always tell. The heat of my cell rises whenever your temper flares. **

_It does? I never knew that…_

**I'd be rather disturbed if you did. You're not the one who lives in here, brat.**

Nettled and in no mood to banter, Naruto demanded, _what do you want, Kyuubi? Now's not the greatest time to piss me off. _

Piss _him _off? One of these days, he would have to teach that boy a thing or two about respect…

**I want you to act less like a baby and more like a man, or we'll **_**both**_** die. My life and yours are twined, brat, and if you think for a millisecond that I would sit back and consent to my own meaningless demise you are a bigger dolt than I anticipated. **

_You don't understand anything. I failed my mission, Kyuubi. My friend is dead. I don't care what happens anymore. I'm gonna mutilate the bastards who killed him, and if you have a problem with it, you can go to hell._

He most certainly _did_ have a problem with it. Perhaps he should go ahead and educate the brat now.

_**SILENCE! YOU WILL CEASE THIS NONSENSE, FOOL, OR I WILL MAKE YOU REGRET IT. **_

But he already did regret his rashness. Naruto's head rang with the full impact of Kyuubi's ear-splitting reprimand; it had nearly driven him to his knees.

_I'm sorry, okay? Damn it…you didn't have to yell that loud…_

Ignoring him, Kyuubi inquired, **are you finished?**

_Yeah. _

**Will you listen?**

_I can't exactly say no, can I?_

**Don't get snotty with me, brat. I'm bigger than you. **

Naruto could have countered that by pointing out the fact that Kyuubi couldn't do jack shit while he was taking up residence in his body, though he chose not to.

_Go on._

**Very well. In order to accomplish anything, we must work in tandem. Do you understand what that means?**

_Don't patronize me. Yes, I know what that means._

**One can never tell with a hotheaded dimwit like you.**

_I'm _this_ close to telling you to screw yourself and accepting whatever punishment you dole out. What point are you trying to make, here, Kyuubi?_

**My point, brat, is that you need to _concentrate_. Refrain from lashing out in anger. Use your head and synchronize with me, or all will be lost. Anger is a dangerous thing, the same as fear. You have both. **

_What do _you _know of anger? _Naruto spat. _What do _you _know of fear, or loss, or love? Nothing! _

**Do not condescend to tell me what I do and do not know, brat. I have lived far longer than you, and I have seen more than you ever will. Yes, I am a demon, and the fate of humankind means little to me, but I _am_ capable of emotion. **

_I couldn't save him, Kyuubi! Gaara needed me, and I failed him! _

**And what is getting yourself killed going to accomplish, I wonder? **

_I…_

**No answer? **

_I don't…_

**You don't know. There _is_ no answer. I'll say it again. Synchronize with me. The sooner we are one, the more difficult it will be for Akatsuki to pry us apart. **

_But why? Why do you want to do this, Kyuubi? You hate humans…_

**I have no intention of serving that filth while I am alive, brat. They already have Shukaku. They will not take me as well. **He paused. **As for your friend, we will at least recover his body so that they may not further taint it with their disease.**

Humbled and completely stunned, Naruto closed his eyes. _Kyuubi…I…thank you…_

**Tch. Now hurry. We must begin. **

_All right. Tell me what to do._

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Well, I must apologize for the delay. My computer went down, so it took a little bit of time to sort everything out. Sorry, sorry!

As you can see, I have already begun to branch away from the original in parts (such as reintroducing characters that have not appeared yet—there will be more of that to come in the next chapter :grins:), and I have a few plot twists in mind, but I'm still working out the kinks, so to speak, so we'll see how long it takes for me to get to them! At the rate the manga is going, however, I think I have all the time in the world. Heh. (And Sasori is a creepy guy, isn't he? He's so awesome…XD)

The last exchange between Naruto and Kyuubi is going to factor largely in future chapters, because I'd like to take a closer look at the fusion between a Jinchuuriki and his Bijuu. I have a feeling things may have turned out differently for Gaara if he and Shukaku were able to work with each other instead of against each other, and I'm going to play around with that quite a bit, I think. Anyway, I've said enough for now. :winks: Thank you so much for all of the wonderful feedback, and keep it coming! I truly appreciate it!


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